Month: November 2017

The story of how David was plucked from the fields and anointed King over Israel, is well known. He was the youngest of Jesse’s sons and his place therefore was to tend the sheep. A lowly, but important task in that kind of society. That David, after many trials and tribulations, was to go on to become the King par excellence, and a reference against which all future and past kings would be judged is remarkable. His reign saw Israel, or rather the tribe of Judah, become settled, prosperous and, relatively speaking, at peace.

It is hardly surprising therefore that through all the difficult things that the nation was to go through in the next centuries – right up to, and beyond, Jesus Christ – that the Jews would look for, and hope for, a king who might rule more after the model of David. Ezekiel the prophet picks this up in the first reading today. No longer will the nation be left in the hands of lazy, quarrelling, unjust and faithless rulers and priests – but God himself will be the Shepherd King. Being just and holy his judgement will be right and true. Those who have done wrong can expect dire punishment and those who have suffered in the cause of right will be rewarded. Those who have been damaged by the ills of society will be healed, refreshed and restored.

The metaphor of King as shepherd is clearly a Jewish one and thus the Messiah would be one who vanquishes the foes of Israel and yet one who rules with tenderness and compassion. Those who were once bowed down under oppression will be able to hold their heads up high.

What went against expectations, and continues to confound the Jews, is that the way in which the King vanquishes his foes is not with a mighty army that meets on a bloody battlefield but a battle against the forces of darkness that is met in his own body on the cross. Meeting hatred and violence with love, compassion, and non-violence Jesus overcomes the evil. By rising to new life, he ushers in the new kingdom of justice peace, love and compassion.

The important thing for us as Jesus’ followers is that He asks something new of us. He asks us to see him in the faces of those around us – everyone – but most particularly in the faces of the poor, the sick, the imprisoned, the hungry. If we do that we are counted righteous. If we refuse to do that we are cast off. But it is we who have cast ourselves off from Him – by failing to recognise him in the “littlest of these my brothers and sisters.

With my love and prayers. Fr David

New to the Parish or just keen to meet everyone You will be made welcome at the evening reception following the 6pm Mass in Cranleigh on January 20th. If you have recently become involved in Cranleigh or Bramley, for whatever reason, or know of someone who would like to be included, please sign up on the Parish Events page of the website.

Corin Golding will be selling baked goods after Mass in Bramley on the 26th November to raise funds for his school, St Edmund’s Catholic Primary in Godalming. Please support Corin’s efforts.

Date Change for Care Group meeting is re-scheduled for 1st December at 11am at Cranleigh Parish Meeting Room.

Mums and Dads – a date for your Diary – Join other Parents, Staff and Governors to celebrate the Feast of St Cuthbert Mayne on November 29th.

We will be celebrating whole school mass at 1.45 and then the blessing and official opening of our new school entrance lobby. From 3.15-4.00pm we will have Open Classrooms.

Bishop Richard will be celebrating mass with Fr. David and then opening the lobby and visiting classrooms after school during the Open Classrooms. We will then have informal refreshments for staff, governors and the Bishop from 4-4.45pm.

The Monday Advent Group will start as usual at 10am on Monday November 27th at 6 Linersh Drive, Bramley.

All are welcome. I would be grateful if you can let me know if you are coming on 01483 894048. Maureen Loveder.

The Parish are going to be selling Tombola Tickets after the next few weeks Masses in order to raise funds for the Parish Hall which is still an ongoing concern. The prizes include nice bath sets, books, booze, candles, chocolates, and odds are good to win something. Please support this venture.

From Darkness to Light

A Service of Readings and Music for Advent

At St Thomas More Church, Bramley

Sunday 3rd December 2017 – 6.30pm

Followed by mulled wine and mince pies in the Parish Room. All are welcome

The St Cuthbert Mayne Christmas Fair will take place following the Youth Mass on Sunday 26th November. Please join the festivities after Mass and enjoy lots of children’s activities, good food, cakes and drinks. There are raffle prizes of £300, £200 & £100 plus lots more to be won. Parking will be restricted on the day and all are very welcome at the Fair.

The Parish Reconciliation Service will take place on Sunday 17th December in Cranleigh from 1pm. Our First Holy Communion children (30+ of them!) will be receiving their First Reconciliation. All members of the parishare encouraged to attend. You might like to come to the service even if you intend to make your confession the following weekend and use the penitential service as a helpful and joyful examination of conscience to help prepare yourself.

“By kind permission of Fr David there will be a Christmas collection after mass on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd December for the Number Five Homeless shelter. Number Five Project is a shelter for the homeless in 3 to 5 York Road, Guildford. The shelter has accommodation for 14 males and 2 females and provides bed, breakfast and an evening meal. Although it only provides temporary accommodation, usually up to two weeks, the centre will usually be full at Christmas time, and so for a number of years now our parish has had a collection to help them through Christmas.

The proceeds of the collection have been used to give each resident a voucher for the cinema and also a small voucher to spend in The Friary Centre. The residents really appreciate the fact that someone is thinking about them and can be very moved by it.

If there are sufficient funds the residents are provided with a take-away meal of their choice on New Year’s Eve.

As Number Five does not have any independent resources any remaining funds from the collection are used to provide for emergencies such as a taxi to the A and E out of normal hours, or help with fares to attend a job interview or to see an ill relative, etc. It is also used for birthday cards and sometimes a small birthday present for a resident. This a very valued resource at the shelter and would not be available without your help.

You can be assured that any money you give will be very much appreciated both by the staff and the residents and will be put to very good use.” From Pat Scully

“LO HE COMES” – An opportunity to take an hour out in each week of Advent to prepare for Christmas with Words and Music from different traditions presented by the Rector. We are invited to join our friends at St Nicolas on Wednesday evenings in the Parish Church. 6th Dec – “The King is Coming”, 13th Dec – “The Light is Coming”, 20th Dec – “The Child is Coming”. Please see the poster in the porch.

Bishop Richard invites families to join him on a pilgrimage to Dublin for the World Meeting of families 22nd – 26th August 2018. This event includes; a three day congress exploring themes from Amoris Laetitia. Wonderful international speakers will lead sessions for adults and there are age appropriate activities for children and young people. This is followed by a concert style “Festival of Families” on the Saturday and the event concludes with Sunday Mass concelebrated by Pope Francis.
For further details please see flyers in the porch or contact wmof2018@dabnet.org

We are entering upon a period of intense preparation from this week onwards until the middle of February. All of us are being asked to reflect on what is important and at the centre of our lives. Well, what is? That is the question indeed. Is it Advent? Or Christmas?

Jesus says in the Gospel “Where your treasure is, there lies your heart.” What do we treasure most and thus where do our hearts truly lie?

Last week I alerted you to a letter that you would have received this week. This particular letter concerns your money – something we readily identify as “treasure” – and asks you to support your parish and it’s work financially so that we can fund the works we need to make our parish a centre of excellence. With more money we could do so much more – many things that other Churches take for granted as essential – and therefore fund accordingly. Things like Youth Workers, Professional musicians, Family Workers, IT support and infrastructure, development of the fabric to suit changing ways of worship etc. You may not have thought of any of these things but I’m asking you to support your parish generously and respond to our most recent appeal wholeheartedly. Even sacrificially.

But over the next few weeks we are going to hear and learn a great deal more about other aspects of developing your treasure – and thus your heart’s desire. I have asked a small group to develop materials, meetings, and a way, or ways, of asking YOU how you think our parish might change over the next year, or years, in such ways that we become a community of the faithful who have the Church, our parish, the work we do and the worship we offer at heart in a new, more life giving, way which seeks the involvement of everyone in new and exciting ways.

The upside of this, as far as I can see, is that it doesn’t really depend on ME as your priest. I am here to pastor, support, teach and encourage you as best I can. But YOU are, all together, the Church, and thus what you make of it is what it becomes.

If there is no true heart in our parish for the Gospel, the Church, and mission then, even if I was the best priest in the entire world, it would die and wither. Even if I was the worst priest in the world, if you have Christ at heart and in the centre of your lives then our parish will thrive and draw new people of all ages into God’s life in new and exciting ways. Watch, listen and pray!

With my love and prayers. Fr David

Special Collection THIS Sunday for The Cathedral Maintenance Fund

Book of Remembrance – Bramley

If you would like the names of any of your relatives or friends who have died to be entered into the Book of Remembrance in Bramley, please sign the list in the porch and they will be entered onto the book at the end of November.

The Parish will be celebrating a Requiem Mass THIS Saturday 18th November. This Mass is intended to remember all those recently departed in our community. Please come if you would like to remember someone special. Please forward this message onto anyone who you think would like to attend.

If you would like to join the Parish Outing to Squires Garden Centre on Milford Tuesday 21st November please put your name and telephone number on the lists in the Church Porches. Transport can be arranged for you, there will be a lunch of your choice and there is a huge selection of Christmas shopping and of course the plant centre.

Corin Golding will be selling baked goods after Mass in Bramley on the 26th November to raise funds for his school, St Edmund’s Catholic Primary in Godalming. Please support Corin’s efforts.

We have a decorating team to dress the Cranleigh Church for the advent season one weekend on 16/12. Please contact the office if you would like to be part of this team.

Next Care Group meeting is scheduled for 24th November at 11am at Cranleigh Parish Meeting Room.

Mums and Dads – a date for your Diary – Join other Parents, Staff and Governors to celebrate the Feast of St Cuthbert Mayne on November 29th.

We will be celebrating whole school mass at 1.45 and then the blessing and official opening of our new school entrance lobby. From 3.15-4.00pm we will have Open Classrooms.

Bishop Richard will be celebrating mass with Fr. David and then opening the lobby and visiting classrooms after school during the Open Classrooms. We will then have informal refreshments for staff, governors and the Bishop from 4-4.45pm.

From Darkness to Light

A Service of Readings and Music for Advent

At St Thomas More Church, Bramley

Sunday 3rd December 2017 – 6.30pm

Followed by mulled wine and mince pies in the Parish Room. All are welcome

All are welcome to join the Bramley Choir for the Advent Carol Service. Rehearsals take place at 8pm in Bramley on Mondays 13th, 20th and 27th November.

The St Cuthbert Mayne Christmas Fair will take place following the Youth Mass on Sunday 26th November. Please join the festivities after Mass and enjoy lots of children’s activities, good food, cakes and drinks. There are raffle prizes of £300, £200 & £100 plus lots more to be won. Parking will be restricted on the day and all are very welcome at the Fair.

The Parish Reconciliation Service will take place on Sunday 17thDecember in Cranleigh from 1pm. Our First Holy Communion children (30+ of them!) will be receiving their First Reconciliation. All members of the parishare encouraged to attend. You might like to come to the service even if you intend to make your confession the following weekend and use the penitential service as a helpful and joyful examination of conscience to help prepare yourself.

There will be a second collection this weekend for The Retired Priests Fund

From Father David – Dear Brothers and Sisters

Later on this week an envelope is going to drop onto your doormat with a letter addressed to you in it. Please do not treat this as junk mail. It’s not!

The letter is asking you an important question about supporting your parish. Are you prepared to properly support and finance your parish to enable it to support you when you need it for important occasions like baptisms, marriages and funerals?
Are you prepared to support your parish so that we can run our churches to enable the Mass to be celebrated in buildings that reflect our love of God and the importance we place on our relationship with Him?

What we decide may well depend on many factors in our lives such as our income and our justifiable expenses. This means that no two families are the same in their ability to give a set amount. But I hope that everyone will have an appreciation of the importance of the Church in their lives such that giving to support the life and work of the Church has a certain level of importance and priority amongst all the many other priorities.

For example, many of us are members of a golf club, or a gym. How does the Church fair in comparison? Membership of Cranleigh Golf and Leisure currently runs at £62 a month for the cheapest plan. Sure, you can play golf and use the gym or pool almost any time you like, but is it more important to you than your Church? Some people like a Costa coffee every day or every couple of days or so. Assuming you had four cups a week that’s over £10 a week just on coffee. That’s £520 every year. Is your Church worth more than a cappuccino to you? Many of us have wine now at home. According to the Independent Newspaper “The “Brexit effect” has pushed the average cost of a bottle of wine to a new all- time high of £5.56, according to latest industry figures”. Might you consume a couple of those a week? That’s over £10 too and £500 a year.

I write this not to condemn your coffee or wine drinking habits but to ask you to reflect on how much you give to your Church to support its life and work. It maybe that you haven’t thought of this for many years – not, in fact, since you generously and helpfully took out that Standing Order many years ago. Costs have gone up since then and also the things we need money for have multiplied too.

Please read your letter, pray about it and get in touch with Trish to refresh your Standing Order and Gift Aid to take us forward to the next stage of our life together.

With my love and prayers. Fr David

There is an induction mass by Bishop Richard for Fr Roy Waters and all the rest of Guildford team at St Josephs, on Friday 10th November 7:00pm – 8:00pm

It is to Inaugurate their new Parish Team and Induct Mgr. Tony as its’ Moderator,

The next over 50’s coffee morning is on Tues 14th November 10.30-12noon in the Parish Room. Please come along and invite your friends to this informal friendly gathering.

The Parish will be holding a Requiem Mass on Saturday 18th November. This Mass is intended to remember all those recently departed in our community. Please come if you would like to remember someone special. Please forward this message onto anyone who you think would like to attend.

If you would like to join the Parish Outing to Squires Garden Centre on Milford Tuesday 21st November please put your name and telephone number on the lists in the Church Porches. Transport can be arranged for you, there will be a lunch of your choice and there is a huge selection of Christmas shopping and of course the plant centre.

We have a decorating team to dress the Cranleigh Church for the advent season one weekend on 16/12. Please contact the office if you would like to be part of this team. We are now in need of a Christmas tree. Can you help?

Time of Recollection for Extraordinary Ministers at St Josephs in Guildford on Thursday 15th February 2018 between 7-9pm

Surrey Age UK hold a weekly Coffee Morning at Manns of Cranleigh coffee Shop in the High Street every Wednesday between 2pm and 4pm. All over 50’s are welcome and no booking is required. It is a chance to meet new people.

Next Care Group meeting is scheduled for 24th November at 11am at Cranleigh Parish Meeting Room.

Mums and Dads – a date for your Diary – Join other Parents, Staff and Governors to celebrate the Feast of St Cuthbert Mayne on November 29th.

We will be celebrating whole school mass at 1.45 and then the blessing and official opening of our new school entrance lobby. From 3.15-4.00pm we will have Open Classrooms.

Bishop Richard will be celebrating mass with Fr. David and then opening the lobby and visiting classrooms after school during the Open Classrooms. We will then have informal refreshments for staff, governors and the Bishop from 4-4.45pm.

Please note there is no mass at STM on Tuesday 14th due to Fr David ministering an interment of ashes and the Deanery mass for deceased Clergy at Farnham later that morning. Please note all are welcome to come to St Joan’s for that mass to pray for their deceased priests and offer mass for them.

All are welcome to join the Bramley Choir for the Advent Carol Service. Rehearsals take place at 8pm in Bramley on Mondays 13th, 20th and 27th November.

The St Cuthbert Mayne Christmas Fair will take place following the Youth Mass on Sunday 26th November. Please join the festivities after Mass and enjoy lots of children’s activities, good food, cakes and drinks. There is a 1st prize of £300 to be won in the raffle. Parking will be restricted on the day but all are welcome at the Fair.

Marriage Care is a national charity that offers professional, confidential counselling for individuals and couples who are experiencing difficulties in their marriage or other relationship. There is no fixed charge but we do seek voluntary donations. Please telephone Freephone 0800 389 3801 for an appointment with a Counsellor near you, or visit our website at www.marriagecare.org.uk for more information.

‘Waiting in Wonder’ is a retreat for young adults (aged 18-35) being held 1st-3rd December at Worth Abbey, To book, or for more info, please email Katrina at TOC@worthabbey.net

Can you remember going to “big school” for the first time? I can, and it is not something that I wish to repeat, I can tell you. Even as an over tall youngster I was fazed by everything – the confidence of the senior kids, the way they “knew” everything and made sure I understood that I did not, the seemingly never ending stream of new people and new things and not all of them pleasant. No thank you.

Can you imagine what it might feel, then, to decide to start coming to church? – especially a catholic church? You know, because they are full of strange rituals and fearsome priests and smoke and bells and Latin all over the place. In former ages when going to church was something almost everyone did at some point of their lives, perhaps this was difficult but manageable. How about now? What if you didn’t think much of yourself as a person, or came from a poor background? What if you came from an ethnic background that wasn’t English, or even British? What if you were a single mum? Or a divorced dad? How might that all feel?

In truth none of us can ever know what another person feels about their first few times in our church. But we can guess from our own experiences and we can all try to make sure that we reduce or get rid entirely anything that could prove an obstacle for someone new. This is not really for those who “welcome” each week (although it includes them) but for our whole community. We need to be an inclusive community in every way possible such that the words of the liturgy and our faith resonate with the experience people have when they visit us and especially if they are “not one of us” as mentioned above.

To help us learn and put into practice good practice Margaret Fraher from the Diocesan Pastoral Team is coming to help us think about this and put into place things that can help us become truly welcoming and inclusive. I would like YOU to be there – even though you may not have any specific role in the parish – because we can all learn and grow. Margaret is coming to us on Saturday 27th January 2018 to run a course called “WHAT DOES AN INCLUSIVE PARISH LOOK LIKE?” It starts at 10am with mass and finishes at 3.30pm. Please come and help us become an inclusive parish. I would especially like to see everyone who welcomes at mass here and everyone else is most welcome.

With my love and prayers. Fr David

*Earlier Mass due to Funeral Mass and Celebration of Canon Gerald’s Life and Ministry at Arundel Cathedral

Good News
Over the last two weekends, members of the Pound a Week Group donated the wonderful sum of £579 to provide a gift for the family of the boy Robert who died of acute appendicitis three weeks ago. I have told Fr Conway and asked for his advice. I said we would like to buy a milking cow or milking camel for the family or some other animals but would of course be guided by his advice as to which would be the most appropriate. I will let you know when I hear from him.
Thank you all for your support for the Pokot projects. Best wishes. Eugene

Tues 14th November

The over 50’s coffee morning will commence at 10.30-12noon in the Parish Room. Please come along and invite your friends to this informal friendly gathering.

Saturday 20th January

New to the parish? Come to an evening reception for newcomers following the 6pm Mass in Cranleigh on January 20th. If you have recently become involved in Cranleigh or Bramley, for whatever reason, or know of someone who would like to be included, please sign up here. Note: this is the 4th Nov meeting rescheduled to avoid Fireworks Night.

Sunday 5th November

Fr David will be blessing graves in Cranleigh at 12.30pm. Please let the Parish Office know of any graves that you would like to be blessed ahead of this date. Votive candles can be brought prior to the event.

Saturday 11th November

Readers and Ministers of the Parish are invited to join the Day of Recollection in Cranleigh on 11th November 2017. Please sign yourself into this day on the Parish Website Events Page.

To Parents of Teenagers; whether you are enjoying every minute or finding it a hard slog there is lots to be learnt from each other. Come and join us for six sessions to chat and relax. We will be using the Alpha parenting course to structure our discussions. Booking essential in order to cater for the wine… and the materials!! If you are interested please let the Parish Office know, charge of £10 to cover materials, dates; November 8/15/22/29/December 6th 7.30-9.30 Cranleigh Parish room

Saturday 18th November

The Parish will be holding a Requiem Mass on Saturday 18th November. This Mass is intended to remember all those recently departed in our community. Please come if you would like to remember someone special. Please forward this message onto anyone who you think would like to attend.

Tuesday 21st November

If you would like to join the Parish Outing to Squires Garden Centre at Milford please put your name and telephone number on the lists in the Church Porches. Transport can be arranged for you, there will be a lunch of your choice and there is a huge selection of Christmas shopping and of course the plant centre.

Christmas Decorations

We are looking to recruit a decorating team to dress the Cranleigh Church for the advent season one weekend possibly 16+17/12. Please contact the office if you would like to be part of this team.

Thursday 15th February 2018

Please note there will be a 7-9pm Time of Recollection for Extraordinary Ministers at St Josephs in Guildford.

Surrey Age UK hold a weekly Coffee Morning at Manns of Cranleigh coffee Shop in the High Street every Wednesday between 2pm and 4pm. All over 50’s are welcome and no booking is required. It is a chance to meet new people.

Next Care Group meeting is scheduled for 24th November at 11am at Cranleigh Parish Meeting Room.

Beresford has about 50 jam jars with lids available to anyone in the Parish – please contact him if you are in need of jam jars.

Mums and Dads – a date for your Diary – Join other Parents, Staff and Governors to celebrate the Feast of St Cuthbert Mayne on November 29th.

We will be celebrating whole school mass at 1.45 and then the blessing and official opening of our new school entrance lobby. From 3.15-4.00pm we will have Open Classrooms.

Bishop Richard will be celebrating mass with Fr. David and then opening the lobby and visiting classrooms after school during the Open Classrooms. We will then have informal refreshments for staff, governors and the Bishop from 4-4.45pm.

Please note there is no mass at STM on Tuesday 14th due to Fr David ministering an interment of ashes and the Deanery mass for deceased Clergy at Farnham later that morning. Please note all are welcome to come to St Joan’s for that mass to pray for their deceased priests and offer mass for them.

Marriage Care is a national charity that offers professional, confidential counselling for individuals and couples who are experiencing difficulties in their marriage or other relationship. There is no fixed charge but we do seek voluntary donations. Please telephone Freephone 0800 389 3801 for an appointment with a Counsellor near you, or visit our website at www.marriagecare.org.uk for more information.